Nest Announces Open Source Implementation of Thread

OpenThread to Enable Broad Adoption of Thread Technology and Accelerate Development of Secure, Reliable Products in Connected Home

Palo Alto, California — 11 May 2016 —
Nest Labs, Inc. (www.nest.com), architect of the thoughtful home, today released OpenThread, an open source implementation of the Thread networking protocol. With OpenThread, Nest is making the technology used in Nest products more broadly available to accelerate the development of products for the connected home. As more silicon providers adopt Thread, manufacturers will have the option of using a proven networking technology rather than creating their own, and consumers will have a growing selection of secure and reliable connected products to choose from.

“Thread makes it possible for devices to simply, securely, and reliably connect to each other and to the cloud,” said Greg Hu, Head of Nest Platform and Works with Nest. “And because Thread is an IPv6 networking protocol built on open standards, millions of existing 802.15.4 wireless devices on the market can be easily updated to run Thread. OpenThread will significantly accelerate the deployment of Thread in these devices, establishing Thread as one of the key networking technology standards for connected products in the home”

Along with Nest, ARM, Atmel, a subsidiary of Microchip Technology, Dialog Semiconductor, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated and Texas Instruments Incorporated are contributing to the ongoing development of OpenThread. In addition, OpenThread can run on Thread-capable radios and corresponding development kits from silicon providers like NXP Semiconductors and Silicon Labs.

“Nest products set the bar for how connected devices should work so it’s exciting that Nest is releasing OpenThread to the open-source community," said Jeffery Torrance, vice president, business development, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “As a company with a longstanding history of actively supporting and contributing to open technologies, OpenThread allows us to work with other like-minded corporations and individuals to deliver a best-in-class implementation of Thread that can be widely used for the advancement of a connected and secure home.”

Simple, Secure, Reliable Connectivity for the Home

Designed to connect products in and around the home into low-power, wireless mesh networks, Thread is backed by industry-leading companies including ARM, Big Ass Solutions, Nest Labs, NXP Semiconductors, OSRAM, Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, Schneider Electric, Silicon Labs, Somfy, Tyco and Yale Security. Existing popular application protocols and IoT platforms like Nest Weave and ZigBee can run over Thread networks to deliver interoperable, end-to-end connectivity.

Since opening membership in October 2014, the Thread Group has grown to more than 230 members with over 30 products submitted and awaiting Thread certification. In addition to Nest products, a number of devices -- including the OnHub, a router from Google -- are shipping with Thread-ready radios.

OpenThread Distribution

The initial version of OpenThread is being distributed by Nest on GitHub at https://github.com/openthread/openthread. OpenThread users are welcome to submit Pull Requests. Users will also have access to sample code, the ability to file issues on GitHub, and support on Stack Overflow as well as Nest's discussion forum.

A demo of OpenThread will be available at Google I/O from May 18th to May 20th in the Nest Sandbox.

About Nest

Nest's mission is to create a home that's thoughtful - one that takes care of itself and the people inside it. The company focuses on simple, beautiful and delightful hardware, software and services. The Nest Learning Thermostat™ and Nest Energy Services keep you comfortable and address home energy consumption. The Nest Protect™ smoke and carbon monoxide alarm helps keep you safe and Nest Safety Rewards lets you save money through participating home insurance providers, while Nest Cam™ keeps an eye on what matters most in your home. Nest products are sold in the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands and are installed in more than 190 countries. The Nest Learning Thermostat has helped save approximately seven billion kWh of energy to date. Through the Works with Nest program, third-party products can securely connect with Nest devices to make homes safer, more energy efficient, and more aware. For more information, visit www.nest.com.

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